Looking for a winner

Robert Clifford is the principal partner of Clifford Law Offices in Chicago. More than 100 prospective plaintiffs contact the firm every month. Photo: Mike Fuentes

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Robert Clifford has his pick of personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death and product liability cases.

Robert Clifford has his pick of personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death and product liability cases.

More than 100 prospective plaintiffs contact Clifford Law Offices in Chicago every month, the bulk of them referrals from other lawyers and former clients, but the firm accepts only a fraction of the cases.

"You'd have to be an idiot as a lawyer to take a case that was frivolous, because the cost of handling it is enormous," says Mr. Clifford, principal partner of the firm, which has 25 lawyers.

Mr. Clifford screens cases with the help of Tom Prindable, the firm's managing partner. In the six-week period between Dec. 1 and Jan. 15 the firm received more than 150 calls from prospective plaintiffs. Here are 20 of those calls, of which three were accepted, 17 rejected.

Complication was a risk; doctors responded appropriately; no long-term side effects.

Businesswoman gets trapped in elevator for nearly two hours and misses afternoon appointments. Wants to sue owner of building for impeding her freedom of movement. Declined:

Incident didn't justify litigation.

Woman feels pain in her eye and goes to optometrist, who diagnoses her with a tumor. Goes to hospital, where ophthalmologist finds only embedded eyelash. Wants to sue optometrist for misdiagnosis. Declined:

No long-term harm.

Eight-year-old boy falls from merry-go-round at park and breaks arm. Parents want to sue park district because merry-go-round was in disrepair. Declined:

Injury wasn't severe; local governments often are immune from lawsuits.

Elderly man becomes dizzy after being released from hospital following knee surgery. Returns to hospital, where he is treated for an ear infection and released. Dies of heart attack three days later. Family wants to sue hospital for not diagnosing heart problem. Declined:

No obligation to perform heart exam when treating an ear infection.

Man takes Vioxx for one month after undergoing surgery to remove a growth in his groin. Wants to sue the drug manufacturer because elevated cardiac enzymes required him to have an angiogram. Declined:

Man wasn't on Vioxx long enough to cause damage.

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A car stopped in traffic on expressway is rear-ended by semi-tractor trailer and explodes. Driver survives, but his wife and 14-year-old child are killed. Accepted:

Truck driver was negligent.

Woman suffers miscarriage at 18 weeks. Wants to sue doctor, claiming he should have diagnosed problem and prevented miscarriage. Declined:

Report from the National Transportation Safety Board revealed the plane was 30 years old. Congress has barred claims against old aircraft.

Teacher accused of sexually abusing student, but exonerated after school board investigates and girl recants. Wants to sue for emotional distress. Declined:

School system handled situation appropriately.

Woman goes to hospital for knee surgery, but waits five hours to be admitted. Catches flu in waiting room and surgery is rescheduled. Wants to sue hospital for inconvenience. Declined:

No long-term harm in catching flu.

Motorist hit by another driver, sustains minor injuries and wants to sue the other driver's insurance company. Declined:

Injuries not severe enough to warrant litigation, and insurance company has strong record of settling cases fairly.

A 55-year-old man feels something hard in stomach while home recovering from hernia surgery. X-ray shows that surgical clamp was left inside. Has operation to remove it, but dies of infection 24 hours after discharge. Accepted: